God is Not a Problem Solver

Sure, God can solve problems. He's so good at it. But he does not want to be our problem solver, just like a church pastor is not there to be a problem solver. Many church people see God as problem solver so they bring him all their problems. If you get to attend a prayer meeting today, you'd hear all sorts of problems they want God to solve. But God is not a problem solver.

He is God.

And as God he has lots of things in mind he wants done. So he wants us to be problem solvers, strategic servants out to solve problems the devil has devised to destroy man. God wants us to solve what he sees as real problems--not problems spoiled and silly men want you to solve for them so they'd live happily ever after in their carnal flesh. That's what most church people want from God and from their pastors--make them happily serve God. And a lot of pastors act accordingly.

You have problems? You think you need God to answer your problems? Well, chances are, you'd be frustrated. And you might get offended with this truth I'm about to tell you--God is not interested about your problems. His only interest is what he wants you to do for him.

The great prophet Elijah had a big problem--Jezebel was out to kill him. He ran away and thought God would be concerned about his problem. You think God answered his problem? Well, this was all God had to say to him: "What are you doing here?"

Elijah traveled some more and was so exhausted, probably hoping God would see his plight and pay attention to his problem and solve it. What did God say to him? Again, God asked, "What are you doing here?" Instead of dealing with his problem, God told him to return where he came from (where Jezebel was waiting to murder him) and do what God planned to have him do.

You see, to God, only his plan for you matters, not your plans for yourself. Not even your good plans for Him. Lots of people imagine that God solves their silly, carnal problems, problems that have to do only in this world. They call it "answered prayers!" If you think you get your mundane problems solved by God, it's just the general blessings he gives to both the righteous and the wicked. It's not a problem solved--it's just a problem prolonged.

When God gives air or oxygen to criminals to breathe in and live, it's not a problem solved. It's a problem prolonged--to give chance to the criminal to repent. You see what I mean?

Another story...

Now, there was Jonah, running away from the Lord--to catch his attention. He had a problem, and he was hoping God would be his problem solver. What was his problem? He wanted the cruel Assyrians annihilated with God's nuclear bomb--probably something like what God did to Sodom and Gomorrah.

But God had a different plan. The first time he had told Jonah about it, he said something like, "Go to Nineveh and preach against it," [Jonah 1.2]. But then Jonah had ran away from God's will and focused on what he wanted to happen. But God ignored him. God is not a problem solver. He is God.

After being vomited out by the giant fish, you know what God told Jonah? Did God deal about Jonah's problem? Did he ask him, "Hey, Jonah, what's eating you? How can I be of help?"?

Nope. God simply repeated his first statement to him. All God cared about was what he wanted to happen, his will for Jonah [Jonah 3.2].

God is not a problem solver. Yeah, he can easily solve problems, but he solves only problems he sees as real problems--problems that hinder his will. If it has nothing to do with his will, forget about God solving the problem. He would probably just relegate it to his permissive will, or just trash it altogether.

For generations, church culture has been to see God as a problem solver. They see God's saying "I will give you rest" as God solving their problems. Nope. It simply means God will give you rest from your silly cares, period. He will give you the wisdom to see that what you see as problems are really nothing, not worth his while. It's something like: "Oh, is that what's been bogging you? Forget it!"

That's rest.

God is God. And that means your only business in life is to know what he wants and do it. And how about your problems? How about problems in church your members want you to solve for them?

Get this revelation--Forget them!

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